DAYBREAK DAILY: Snyder says 'focus on reality' and not Redskins name

‘GOOD MORNING WASHINGTON’: Among the reports – Chris Brown may begin today; Fairfax County schools and the bid for later start times; much more, beginning at 4:30 a.m. M-F.

FOCUS, PEOPLE: So says The Danny, per the Associated Press, “Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder said Tuesday it's time for people to "focus on reality" concerning Native American matters instead of criticizing the team's nickname. "We understand the issues out there, and we're not an issue," Snyder said. "The real issues are real-life issues, real-life needs, and I think it's time that people focus on reality."

Challenged by those who consider the name "Redskins" offensive, Snyder and his staff recently traveled to Native American reservations and last month established a foundation to assist American Indian tribes. He had declined requests to answer questions about the foundation until Tuesday.

"Snyder has insisted he will not change the Redskins' name, calling it a "badge of honor." He did not directly answer when asked to respond to those who say the foundation is a way of throwing money at the problem to placate critics. . . Snyder rarely takes questions from reporters, and his brief remarks came Tuesday after a ceremony at a local high school. The Redskins are donating one-tenth of the $1 million cost to refurbish the school's sports field.” http://apne.ws/1jHACqQ

GOV. TOURIST: And pubs, per the Baltimore Sun, “Gov. Martin O'Malley left Tuesday for a five-day trip to Europe that includes a "congressional pilgrimage" to northern Ireland and a conference in Amsterdam. The governor, whose Irish heritage inspired his Celtic rock band and his taste in poetry, will first visit Dublin along with civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia as part of a 50-person delegation to learn about the island's historic divide and reconciliation efforts, organizers said.

“O'Malley then plans to attend a conference on progressive governance in Amsterdam on Thursday and Friday before returning to Ireland, his office spokeswoman said. The governor also traveled to Dublin last June and gave a speech at Iveagh House, headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's visit to Ireland.” http://bsun.md/1jHWJgR

GIFTGATE: Did anyone say free money?, per the Virginian-Pilot, “Donors such as former presidential candidate Mitt Romney produced a recent spike in contributions to a charity set up to raise money for former governor Bob McDonnell's legal defense. The $149,242 in donations to the Virginia Beach-based Restoration Fund from January to March, according to Virginia Public Access Project data, dwarfs the $11,554 it raised over the prior six months.

“Much of the newer giving from Romney and other deep-pocketed contributors came after McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were charged in a 14-count federal indictment in January alleging they misused their public positions for personal benefit. . .Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee supported by McDonnell, gave $10,000 to the fund in March.” http://bit.ly/1rkVLdi

ZOO SHOOTING: Details, per the Washington Post, “Shortly past 5 p.m. Monday, the main entrance to the National Zoo teemed with people enjoying one of the attraction’s busiest days of the year. Tourists and mothers pushing baby carriages jostled for position as other visitors, enjoying the annual family day at the zoo, poured onto Connecticut Avenue.

“Just then, a large crowd of men and women arrived at the zoo’s entrance. That came as authorities inside were in the process of expelling about three dozen disruptive youngsters from near the elephant exhibit. All of a sudden, hundreds of people milled about at the zoo’s entrance. Then, at 5:17, someone pulled a gun and fired several shots. Once again — just like in 2000, when seven people were shot, and again in 2011, when a young boy was stabbed — an Easter Monday at the zoo became a day of terror and chaos for out-of-towners and native Washingtonians alike.” http://wapo.st/1jzhFoO

SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: Of another try, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “It was supposed to be the end of the 2014 legislative season. But lawmakers return to Richmond Wednesday to consider Governor Terry McAuliffe's vetoes and amendments with the most important piece of legislation -- the budget -- still unresolved, and unlikely to shift from its partisan standoff.

“McAuliffe vetoed only five pieces of legislation -- including two public prayer bills and one regarding storing guns in secured containers in cars. With the Senate controlled by Democrats and the House dominated by Republicans, lawmakers at odds with the governor are unlikely to muster the two-thirds vote in both chambers necessary to overturn his vetoes.” http://bit.ly/1rhqpG7

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: SCOTUS not a fan, per the New York Times, “In a fractured decision that revealed deep divisions over what role the judiciary should play in protecting racial and ethnic minorities, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a Michigan constitutional amendment that bans affirmative action in admissions to the state’s public universities.

“The 6-to-2 ruling effectively endorsed similar measures in seven other states. It may also encourage more states to enact measures banning the use of race in admissions or to consider race-neutral alternatives to ensure diversity.” http://nyti.ms/1mv48CN

CONFLICTED ABOUT FERRY: Collective grief, shame, per the Los Angeles Times, “For South Korea, a country that pulled itself out of abject poverty to become the world's 15th-largest economy, the most stinging accusation about last week's ferry sinking is that it looks like a Third-World disaster.

“While the captain escaped and the crew dithered and bickered with emergency officials, hundreds of passengers, most of them high school students, obediently remained in their cabins as the ferry rolled and slipped beneath the surface of the cold, gray sea.” http://lat.ms/QE9BMc

IN THIS CORNER. . .: Check your listings, per The Hill, “A long-running feud between Netflix and Comcast is on the verge of becoming all-out war. Netflix threw down the gauntlet on Monday by coming out against Comcast’s proposed $45 billion agreement to merge with Time Warner Cable.

“The deal, for which Comcast has hired an army of lobbyists to sell and defend, had attracted little opposition from other major companies or from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. But in a letter to shareholders, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells warned the deal would give the resulting company too much market power and leverage over Internet companies.” http://bit.ly/1jzkpCJ

POLITICO PLAY: “When Bob Dole ran for president in 1996 at the age of 73, Democrats derided him as a relic and a man out of place in the electronic age. Late-night comics mocked him, he tumbled off a stage and President Bill Clinton charged in his convention speech that Dole wanted to “build a bridge to the past.”

“Nearly two decades later, Dole is having the last laugh — and letting present-day Republicans know they might learn a thing or two from the deal-making glory days of the iconic Kansas war hero.” http://politi.co/1riYtlh

D.C. BUDGET: And the lawsuit, per City Paper, “The D.C. Council's fight with Mayor Vince Gray over budget autonomy could be resolved only two weeks before the Council has to make its first vote on the mayor's budget, according to a schedule laid out in a federal court hearing over the lawsuit filed by the Council and Chairman Phil Mendelson against Gray and Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWitt.” http://bit.ly/PrXHUS

MEDS AND SMOKES: Just say no, per Gazette.Net, “Members of the Montgomery County Council are asking stores with pharmacies in them to stop selling cigarettes in their Montgomery locations, claiming the practice is contradictory.” http://bit.ly/1mwKdmM

TUTORING TERPS: Or something like that, per the Frederick News-Post, “The University of Maryland hopes to have a profound, long-lasting impact on the way the city of Frederick does business, said Gerrit Knaap, executive director of the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the university.

“The university has selected the city as its partner to pilot the Action Learning Program, to start this fall. Entire courses will be created based on the city’s needs, Knaap said, and students will be asked to dig deep into big issues and projects the city thinks are worthwhile and come up with new ideas for how city staff can take them on.” http://bit.ly/1lEiCmT

WHAT TO DO?: Of a wide-open space, per ARLnow, “Arlington County surveyed more than 250 residents, workers and visitors to Courthouse Square to assess public opinion of the area’s future. The survey was conducted as part of the county’s “Envision Courthouse Square” initiative, which is trying to get the public involved in the process of planning the future development of the 9-acre area surrounding the county’s large surface parking lot.

“. . . More than 13 percent of respondents listed “market events” as their preferred future use of open space in Courthouse Square, followed by 12.2 percent in favor of outdoor movies and evening events. Social gathering and social seating received 11.7 and 9.8 percent of the vote, respectively.” http://bit.ly/1hh4bku

TRENDING ON ABC7 FACEBOOK: “Fairfax County Police are on the hunt for a serial groper. The male suspect is reported to be responsible for a total of seven forcible fondling incidents that occurred in three shopping areas – Skyline, Bailey’s Crossroads, and Seven Corners. The incidents took place between March 22 and April 19 in the afternoon or early evening between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.” http://wj.la/1flMvAb

NEWSTALK: Among today’s guests (10 a.m., NewsChannel 8) is Bliss Requa-Trautz of the Massachusetts group “Just Communities,” will be asked about the anti-deportation demonstrations taking place at the White House.